More from Longmire, on benching and redshirting

Wednesday’s print edition of The Register-Guard included a feature on UO sophomore LeKendric Longmire moving into more of a leadership role for the Ducks. Here’s a couple of quotes from Longmire that the print edition didn’t have room to include …

On freshmen redshirting, without injuries being an issue: “I’m glad I took that redshirt year. I didn’t feel as if I was ready when I first came in and with the guys that we had on the team, it would have been extremely hard for me to get minutes. I utilized it and worked hard every day and it seems to be paying off.”
As he looks at the six freshmen playing for Oregon, does he feel like the NCAA should have a rule against freshmen playing on varsity, as it once was in college sports: “I wonder that because I can see (not playing as a freshman) helping you in so many ways, not with just your body but your understanding of the game. From high school to college, it’s a different game. There’s no pressure in high school. In college, it’s fun but there’s a business side and you have to go out and win games.”

On being relegated to a reserve role for one game earlier this month: “I was upset because I just didn’t feel as if I deserved being benched but I just told myself, I’ll make the best out of it. I didn’t want to let myself get down because of it so I just came off the bench and tried to help.”

But what about coach’s view that being on the bench can give a starter a new perspective: “I don’t think it benefitted me, to be honest. I didn’t look at it as punishment but I still didn’t understand. But hey, they wanted to bring me off the bench so I can only go from there.”

Bob Clark has covered Oregon basketball over a span of the past six head coaches, from Dick Harter to Dana Altman. He’s watched some of the biggest wins for the Ducks, a couple of trips to the Elite Eight of the NCAA Tournament and yes, also the most-lopsided loss ever recorded in McArthur Court.